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» 720,- € |
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» 486,- € |
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» 19,90 € |
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» 18,50 € |
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» 16,90 € |
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DESERT HEAT SCORCHES AIR RACE
06.04.2007 |
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The scorching desert heat in Abu Dhabi, where temperatures have hit 38 degrees Celsius, has made the Red Bull Air Race even more treacherous for the pilots at the start of the 2007 World Series – to say nothing of the two dozen staff and security officials who collapsed and needed treatment for heat exhaustion during Thursday’s sweltering qualifying session.
With their cockpits sealed shut to improve aerodynamics, the pilots have to endure temperatures inside their aircraft that can rise to between 50 and 70 degrees Celsius under the merciless afternoon sunshine. The hot weather can also make their aircraft less efficient.
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“The airplane doesn’t perform as well in hot weather,” said defending champion Kirby Chambliss before Friday’s race that kicks off the 2007 season. “But it would be even worse in hot weather at altitude. The air is not as dense and as a result the wings are not as efficient and the engine is not as efficient. The pilots aren’t as efficient either.”
Chambliss, a native of Texas, loses a few kilos weight each day in Abu Dhabi even though he drinks up to 10 liters – both water and Red Bull. “I’ve gotten hooked on that stuff even though I try to limit myself to four or five cans a day.” Chambliss said the pilots are doing all they can to battle dehydration, which can have a negative impact on their depth perception and tolerance to G forces. “You’ve got your flight suit on, you’re in a sealed off cockpit and you’re sitting behind a red-hot engine,” he said. “It’s warm in there.”
Michael Goulian, who has been battling the flu all week, said the heat could be a decisive factor in the race, especially with the new elimination format that will require pilots to make up to five flights. “The people who can deal with the heat best will have an advantage,” said Goulian. The American’s exhaust caught on fire briefly in Thursday’s training but he said that was not due to the heat but because there was too much fuel in the engine.
Frank Versteegh said temperatures in his cockpit hit 70 degrees Celsius. “I try to drink enough so that I have to go to the toilet every 30 minutes,” he said. “But it’s so hot in the cockpit that my tongue still gets so dried out in the race that it feels like a cork. The sweat drips down out of my helmet on each turn and I find myself trying to lick that just to get some moisture on my tongue.”
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Hyperlinks
»» www.redbullairrace.com
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